News

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined the fight in defense of Americans’ First Amendment rights by signing an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius.

The amicus brief was spearheaded by U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) and U.S. Representative Randy Forbes (R-VA) and was co-signed by a bipartisan group of 15 Senators and 71 House members. The U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will hear oral arguments on March 25, 2014, in two cases challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate.

The amicus brief lays out three arguments: 

1. Congress has a long tradition of protecting religious liberty – including that of groups – and there has traditionally been strong bipartisan support for such efforts.
2. Congress enacted the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to ensure broad protection of religious liberty, whether or not a specific religious exemption appears in a particular law.
3. The HHS regulations do not satisfy the high bar set by RFRA. RFRA’s requirements govern the Affordable Care Act like all other statutes that do not contain an express disclaimer. Both Hobby Lobby and its owners are protected by RFRA.

To read the amicus brief, click here.